Control system



Mar. 13, 1923. 1,448,407,

H; 0. JAMES.

CONTROL SYSTEM;

FILED JAN.'8.1921- 2 SHEETS- $HEE;T 1.

WITNESSES: INVENTOR 1/1 12 ATTORNEY 4 H. p. JAMES. v

\ CONTROL SYSTEM.

FILED JAN. 3; [32b. 4 2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

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WITNESSES: INVENTOR MW fl James Patent'edlMar. 13, 1923.

UNITED STATES PATENT orrice.

HENRY D. JAMES, OF EDGEWOOD PARK, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR TO WESTING-HOUSE ELECTRIC Jz MANUFACTURING COMPANY, A CORPORATION OF PENNSYL-VANIA.

CONTROL SYSTEM.

Application filed January 8, 1921. Serial No. 435,777.

To aZZ whom it may concern Be it known that I, HENRY D. JAMES, a citizenof the United States, and a resident of Edgewood Park, in the county ofAllegheny-and State ofPennsylvania,-have invented a new and usefulImprovement. in Control Systems, of which the following is aspecification.

My invention relates to motor-control systems and it has particularrelation to such systems'of control as are employed in connection withelevators, hoists and similar machines.

Oneobject ofmy invention is to provide means for effectively stoppingthe car substantially level with any floor, independently of themanipulation of the master switch.

Another object of the invention is to maintain the car substantiallyonthe level with the floor while loading, or unloading heavy material,such as --a motor truck. During such operation, stretching or shorteningof the cables will afiect the level of the can platform with respect tothe floor; Previously, means have been provlded for effecting slow-downand dynamic-braking actions, which, combined with the skill of theoperator, would effect more or less satisfactory stops. Such means,however, did not compensate for stretching of the cables.

In the present invention, a standard elevator-control equipment isprovided and car-switch control of the usual type is shown. Push-buttonsmay be substituted for the car switch in any standard system withoutaffecting the object of my invention.

Additional equipment is provided com prising an auxiliary hoisting andcontrolling mechanism which becomes operative, upon the opening of anyenclosure gate, to open the main motor circuit, to establish theauxiliary circuit and to render the auxiliary hoisting means operativethrough a clutch mechanism. The auxiliary motor operates the car at agreatly reduced speed through this clutch mechanism and, consequently,with more positive control of the car, independently of the loadconditions.

At each floor, is provided a cam which engages a double-throw switch onthe car to control a relay, the function of which is to establish acircuit for the auxiliary hoisting mechanism. Notches are provided inthe cam so that, when the car is substantially level with any floor, theswitch just referred to will maintain its inoperative position. lVhenthe car is above or below the floor level, the switch assumes one of twooperating positions to cause the car to be restored to its normalposition.

In the accompanying drawings-- 1 Fig. 1 is a diagrammatic view ofcircuits and apparatus embodying my invention.

Fig. 2 represents a standard hoisting mechanism, with the addition of anauxil- 1ary hoisting mechanism for operating the hoisting drum through agear-and-clutch mechanism. 1

Referring particularly to Fig. 1, a main motor,'having an armature 1 anda fieldmagnet winding, 2, is operatively connected to positive lineconductor 3 and negative line conductor 4 in the customary manner, withan accelerating resistor 5 in circuit with the armature during thestarting period. Contactors 6. and 7 represent the usualreversing means,and contactor 8 controls the accelerating resistor 5. A brake coil 9 isconnected with the reversing contactors in the customary manner.

The apparatus thus far disclosed is old and its operation is obvious.

Assuming the carto be at rest, if the mas ter switch 10 is actuated to-the right, corresponding to the up direction of travel, a circuit isestablished for the coil 11 of contactor 6 which extends from positiveline conductor 3, through L hatch-way limit switches 12, gate switches13, conductor 48, conductor 14, coil 11, conductor 15, contact finger16, masterswitch segment 17, contact finger 18 and conductor 19, to thenegative line conductor 4. Actuating coil 11 now being energized,operates to close contactor 6 and thereby establish the usual motorconnections.

A circuit is normally established for relay .coil 20 from positive lineconductor 3,

the auxiliary motor. This represents the condition of normal operation.

When it is 'desired to stop the car, the master switch is returned'tothe o-E position, releasing the up directional contactor 6,de-energizing the main motor and allowing its brake to set. It may beassumed that the car stops within a reasonable distance of the desiredlanding and that latter operation may engagement of the clutch members,

the operator opens 35 and conductor 36 to the negative/line conductor 4.

l/Vhen relay contact member 24 is disengaged fromcontact member 25, thecircuit of coil 26 is broken,.the spring 30 effects the and theauxiliary motor is then in operative connection to the car. Coil 33, the'circuit'for which has just been traced, closes'contactor 37establishing a circuit for the auxiliary motor armature 38 and acircuitfor the coil 40 which controls the auxiliary motor brake. The directionofrotationof armature 38" is such as to actuate the car toward thedesired landing and, during this period, the cam 39 is out of engagementwith the switch meme ber 29, which member, under the action of spring41, is in engagement with contact 31, establishes the circuit previouslytraced-for coil 33. When the'car reaches its normal position,substantiallylevel with thedesired landing, a notch in the cam returnsthe switch member 29 to its inoperative position, thereby de-energizingcoil 33 anddisconnecting the auxiliary motor.

The operating circuit for the auxiliary motor extends from positive lineconductor through conductors 42, 43, contactor 37, conductor 44,armature 38,'conductor45,

' contactor 37 and conductors 35 and 36, to

the negative line conductor 4. A circuit for the shunt field-magnetwinding 46 is established between the positive andnegative conductors 43and 36, respectively.

In case the car is to beoperated in the Fdown direction, the masterswitch'is actuated'to the left to establish a circuit for coil'47 of thereversing conductor 7. The operating circuit for this contactor isestablished from positive line conductor" 3, through hatch-way limitswitch 12, gate contacts 13, conductor 48, coil47, conductor 49 masterswitch segment 1'? contact 18 an conductor 19, to the' negat ve lineconductor The operation thereby obtained nection with a reversible motoris obvious.

The car is now operating in the direction opposite to that previouslydescribed. The progress of the car is arrested, as before, by returningthe master switch to the off position, thereby As was described for theupward motion of the car, the same operation now takes place when the'gate is opened to de-energize the clutch-magnet coil 26 and establishcontact between relay contact member 24 and contact 27.- If the carcomes to restbelow the desired landing, the operation of the auxiliarymotor is as previously described.

If, however, the car stops above the landing,- the cam 39 forces theswitch contact member 29 into engagement with contact member 51. Acircuit, which is now estab lished for the actuating coil 52 ofcontactor in con-.

de-energizing the coil 47.

53, extends from positive line conductor 3,

through hatch-way switches 12, conductor 23, contact member 24,contact27, conductor 28, switch member conductor 54, coil 52 andconductors 34, 35

and 36, to negative line conductor 4. The.

circuit through'the armature 38'is now established in the oppositedirection to that previously described and it extends from positive lineconductor 3, through conduc-' tors 42 and 43, contactor 53, conductors55 and 45, armature 38, contact0r.53 and conductors 35 and 36, to thenegative line ,con-

ductor 4. The circuit for thearmature 38 is interrupted, as previouslydescribed, when the car becomes level with the landing, the cam 39returns the contact switch .member 29 to its inoperative position.

A push-button switch 56 may be substituted for the gateswitches 13, withthe same electrical connections; or the push-button switch may be used'in conjunction with the gate switches. This button is preferably locatedin the car'and' is foot-operated, to open the circuit previouslydescribed on approaching any landing. From the foregoing disclosure, itwill be understood that'a substantially exact landing may beaccomplished without the necessity of inching the car and without thenecessity of becoming skillful in the manipulation of the [masterswitch. Therefore, when the car is stopped Within a reasonable distanceof the landing, the operator may open the gate and cause the platform ofthe car to slowly attain the normal level. car operator and attendantsare free to give undivided attention to the gate and to the load whichis to be taken on or removed from the car. If, during the process, thecar is moved a certain amount from its normal position,

the auxiliary 'ho'istingmechanism immedi- 29, switch contact 51, g

The

due to movement of the cables,

ately becomes operative to establish the normal level. The distancewhich the car may move from the normal level is established by the.contour of the cam 39.

I claim as my ii'i\"cntion:-

l. The combination with a car. an actuating motor therefor and means forcontrolling said motor. of additional means for actuating said car andmeans independent of the operating condition of said controlling meansfor governing the operation of said additional actuating means.

2. The combination with a, car, an actuat ing motor therefor and meansComprising a master switch for controlling said motor, of an auxiliaryactuating motor for said car and means independent of the position ofsaid master switch for governing the operation of said additionalactuating meansv In an elevator, the combination with a car, controllingmeans therefor, and agate, of means controlled in accordance with theposition of the'gate for effecting the actua tion of said carsubstantially to a floor level, independently of said controlling means.

4-. In an elevator the combination with a car, controlling meanstherefor, and a gate,

of means comprising a relay controlled in accordancewith the position ofthe gate for effecting the actuation of'said car substantially to afloor level, independently of said controlling means- 5. In an elevator,the combination with a war, controllin means therefor, and a gate, ofmeans comprising a switch on the car to be controlled in accordance withthe position of the gate for effecting the actuation of said carsubstantially to a floor level,,independently of said controlling means.

.6. In an elevator, the combination with a car, controlling means, andav gate, of means comprising a sw1tch on' the car, cams 1n the hatchwayand'a relay controlled in accordance with the position'of the gate foreffecting the actuation of said car substantially to afloor level,independently of said controlling means. i

7. In an elevator, the combination with a car, controlling meanstherefor, and agate,

of means comprising a motor controlled in accordance with the positionof the gate for effecting the actuation of said car) substantially to a.floor level, independently of said controlling means.

8. The combination with a car, an actuating motor therefor andcontrolling means for said motor. of a gate, av relay'responsive to the.operation of the gate, additional means for actuating said car, andmeans comprising said relay for effecting the actuation of said car,substantially to a floor level, independently of said controlling means.

9. T he combination with a car, an actuating motor therefor andcontrolling means for said motor comprising a master switch, of a gate,a relay responsive to the operation of the gate, additional means foractuating said car comprising an auxiliary motor, a clutch mechanism,means for controlling said auxiliary motor and said mechanism comprisingsaid relay for effecting the actuation of said car substantially to afloor level, independently of said master switch.

10. In an elevator, the combination with a car, controlling meanstherefor and a. switch, of means responsive to the operation of saidswitch for effectin the actuation of said car substantially to a floorlevel, in-

dependently of the adjustment of said controlling means.

11. In an elevator, the combination with.

a car, controlling means therefor and a manually operable switch, ofmeans responsive to the operation of said "fecting the actuation of saidcar substantially to a floor level, independently of the adjustment ofsaid controlling means.

12. The combination'with a car, an actuating motor therefor and acircuit for controlling the motor, of additional means for actuating thecar and electro-responsive means independent of the condition. of saidcircuit for governingthe operation of said additional means. c

13. The combination with a car, a motor therefor. and a controllingcircuit, of a manually operable switch in the car, means responsive tothe operation of said switch for effecting the actuation of said carsubstantially to a. floor level and for maintainingsuch levelindependently of said con trolling circuit. 7

14. The-combination with a car,controlling means therefor and amanuallyoperable switch inthe car, of a relay controlled by the switch foreffectin the actuation of'said car substantially to afloor level and formaintaining such level independently of said controlling means.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto subscribed my name this 22nd dayof December, 1920.

' HENRY D. JAMES. I

switch for ef--

